Full throw mechanism for nailing machines



Nov. 25, 1952 H. A. GRANFIELD ,7

mu. THROW MECHANISM FOR NAILING MACHINES Filed March 15, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 I I I I I l I I I I INVENTOR. Q

BY Henry A. ra/zfie/d ATTORNEY;

Nov. 25, 1952 GRANHELD 2,618,778

FULL THROW MECHANISM FOR NAILING MACHINES Filed March 15, .1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 533 h b3) Q M Q .q L LL. Q Q LL. Q

H A Yd em 7 ran 12 L Q: BY 1 to g QM MM ATTflfi/VL'YJ Patented Nov. 25, 1952 FULL THROW MECHANISM FOR NAILING MACHINES Henry A. Granfield, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to The Dara-Rapid Nailer 00., Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 15, 1951, Serial No. 215,767

7 Claims.

This invention relates to nail or staple feeding and driving devices and particularly to certain novel features of construction and operation of devices of this general class.

In the prior art various proposals have been advanced with the general object of providing a staple driving mechanism wherein the driving parts cannot return to begin a new stroke until an ensuing stroke has been completed. These prio proposals have been generally impractical but even more so when applied to heavy duty staple or nail driving mechanisms, as distinguished from ordinary paper stapling devices such as are widely used in offices and the like.

The present invention provides a staple or nail feeding and driving arrangement which is particularly useful and practical in constructing devices of this general class which may be used to drive staples and nails of sizes and lengths which could not be driven with the usual hand-operated plunger up to now for the reason that more than one thrust or blow against the plunger would be required to fully drive a fastener.

Other objects and advantages which are attendant upon the use of the principles of construction embodied in the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the embodiments which are set forth herein by way of example and which are illustrated and described in detail in the accompanying drawings and the following specification. It is to be understood, however, that these embodiments are by way of example only and that the principles of the invention are not limited thereto or otherwise than as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of the apparatus of the present invention with portions thereof broken away for clearer illustration;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower front portion of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view with portions thereof shown in cross-section as indicated by the line IVIV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line VV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view with portions thereof in cross-section showing a modified form of the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line VIP-VII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate form of nail formation.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. The general framework of the form of the present invention illustrated in detail in Figs. 1 through 5 comprises a longitudinally extending inverted channel element Ill having a lower rail element ll fixed between the lower ends of its flanges to form a rigid longitudinally extending rectangular tube. At the front end of the device a generally rectangular vertical tubular element 13 extends upwardly from channel ill and has the lower portions of its front and rear walls cut away so that the lower side wall portions of tubular element 13 embrace the side wall portions of channel ID at its forward end.

A generally rectangular casing member 18 is disposed just above channel member H) and immediately rearwardly of tubular element I3 and is fixed to the latter by means of bolt and nut connections designated I 9 and 29 in Fig. 1, these connections passing through rearwardly extending ears 2| and 22 carried by tubular member l3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Of course. casing member 18 may be secured to the device generally in any other desired manner as by riveting or welding.

Referring to Fig. l, the inverted channel element I ll has its rear portion closed off by a block 24 which may be secured in any desired manner, and a rear plate member 25 is fixed to block 24 and has an upwardly extending portion which supports the rear end of a handle element 25. The lower portion of plate member 25 extends beneath channel If! as at 21 in Fig. 1 and includes laterally projecting portions shown at 28 and 29 in Fig. 4 which provide feet to support the device securely on a work surface in the normal position of use.

In the present instance the front of handle element 26 is fixed to casing I8 by means of ears 30 projecting rearwardly from casing l8 as shown in Fig. 1, but. of course, may be of wood, plastic, die-cast metal, sheet metal, or of some other form, and its mode of connection with the assembly proper would vary in accordance with its nature and form.

The form of device illustrated in Figs. 1 through 5 is adapted to accommodate and drive fasteners which are generally of nail-like form. These fasteners are of stamped sheet metal in the illustrated instance and are designated 3I in the drawings, although they may be formed of wire or other material. One of the fasteners BI is shown in Fig. 4 as comprising a shank portion tapered to a sharp wedge point at its lower point and having an enlarged flat head portion 32. Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the upper interior portion of channel I9 has fixed rigidly therein a pair of rails 84 and 35 upon which the head portions 32 of a row of fasteners 3| are adapted to ride with the shank portions of the fasteners depending between rails 34 and 35.

A follower or pusher element for a row of fasteners 3| is designated generally 31 and is shown in Figs. 1 and 3 as comprising a main web portion 38 which follows the shank portions of the fasteners 3| and upper lateral flanges 39 which ride on rails 34 and 35. Pusher 31 further includes an outwardly and downwardly extending flange All at its upper portion. This flange extends through a longitudinal slot in the upper surface of channel element I9 and extends downwardly along the side thereof and includes a pair of outwardly extending ears ll for manipulating the pusher 31'.

At its upper rear portion pusher 37 further includes an ear 43 to which is anchored one end of an extension coil spring 45 which passes over a pulley 46 mounted for free rotation in casing I3 and is secured at its opposite end of handle element 26 as at 48. Spring "35 accordingly urges the pusher 3? resiliently to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1.

Fasteners 31 are introduced to channel I9 at its right-hand end as viewed in Fig. 1. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a front closure plate 59 has side flanges I at its lower portions, which flanges extend rearwardly along the outer faces of the lower side wall portions of tubular member I3 as best shown in Fig. 2. Flanges 5| are provided with angular slots 53, and a pivot pin 54 passes through the slots 53, through the lower side wall portions of tubular member I3, through the lower portions of the side flanges of channel I9, and through bottom rail I I. Closure plate 59 is further provided with flanges 55 which are notched at their lower edges as at 56 and a pair of pins 5? project from the opposite sides of tubular member I3.

In the closed position illustrated in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 a resilient closure clip 58 which is pivoted to tubular member I3 at 59 has a return bent flange portion 69 which fits between the upper end of closure plate 59 and the lower edge of the front wall of tubular member I 3. In this position of the parts closure plate 50 cannot be pivoted forwardly to an open position by reason of the interlocking engagement of notches 56 and pins 57 and also by reason of a pair of forward projections 62 at the lower end of tubular member I3 which engage in notches in the lower edge of plate 59.

When plate 59 is to be opened to permit reloading of the device, closure clip 58 must be resiliently moved forwardly as indicated in dotand-dash lines in Fig. 2, whereupon plate 59, by reason of notches 53, may be moved upwardly thence forwardly which disengages notches 59 and pins 51, thence forwardly until the lower front portion of plate 50 moves forwardly of projections 62, and plate 59 may then be swung forwardly and downwardly to the dot-and-dash line position indicated in Fig. 2.

The fastener driving means comprises a plunger 4 i9 which is vertically slidable in tubular element I3 and is provided at its front face with a driving blade II which is likewise slidable vertically in tubular member I3 and Which is retained for vertical movement with plunger 9 by means of a pin 72.

Plunger 19 has fixed to its upper end a handle element I5 and is resiliently urged to an upward position by a coil spring I6 which rests at its lower end against the upper surface of channel I9 and extends upwardly into an axial bore I9 in post iii. A spring pin is fixed to the upper surface of channel In and maintains alignment of spring 76. It will be noted that the lower end of driving blade II is in engagement with the head of a fastener 3| in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, so that downward movement of plunger 19 by impact upon handle 15 will drive the fastener.

Casing I8 contains mechanism for insuring, in a safe, positive, and practical manner, that plunger 19 and driving blade II will execute a full driving stroke before these parts can return upwardly to admit a subsequent fastener under the urge of spring 45. This mechanism will now be described.

The arrangement and construction of the means for preventing partial return strokes of the driving mechanism is an important part of the present invention, and one form of such nonreturn or full stroke mechanism will now be described, reference being had particularly to Figs. 1 and 3. A control plate 99 is fixed in casing I8 or may comprise a part of easing I8 and its main body portion extends generally vertically therein in a fore and aft plane. Plate 99 has a central opening 9| whose righthand side, as viewed in Fig. 1, is provided with a vertical series of downwardly directed ears 92 which form, in efiect, a series of ratchet teeth or stops.

Plunger 70 has fixed thereto a rearwardly extending hollow sleeve element 95 which projects into casing I8 across the outer face of control plate 90. Sleeve 95 contains an axially slidable bar or stud 96 and a pin 91 which projects rigidly from bar 99 extends into the opening 9! in control plate 99.

A spring seat 98 is fixed in the outer or rearward end of sleeve 95 and a compression coil spring 99 acts between spring seat 98 and bar 96 to urge the latter and pin 91 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1.

A leaf spring camming device is designated IUI and, in the form illustrated, has its upper end fixed to casing I8 as at I02. The camming device IGI flares downwardly from the wall of casing I8 toward the plane of control plate 99, as shows clearly in Fig. 3, and the lower portion thereof normally lies substantially in such plane as at I96 in Fig. 3. The lower end of camming device I9I may be flanged as at I05 to provide a V-shaped camming nose at its lower end. A vertical flange I96 is fixed to the wall of casing l3 in any desired manner and, as shown in Fig. 1, forms a rigidly disposed continuation of the left-hand edge of the lower camming portion of the camming device NH.

The operation of the foregoing non-return or full stroke mechanism is as follows. If the handle 15 is struck in such manner and with such force that it executes less than a full downward stroke, the urge of spring 99 will cause pin 9'! to move to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, and enter beneath one of the ratchet teeth 92 whichever tooth lies immediately above the point where 'pin 01 commences its upward movement with plunger I0. This will arrest upward movement of the plunger I in any one of a number of positions, depending on the number of ratchet teeth which may be provided and the degree of downward movement that has been imparted to plunger 70.

This prevention of upward movement leaves the lower portion of the driving blade 'II in a position where it occupies the space from which a fastener 3I has been partly driven and, in cooperation w-ith the partly driven fastener, forms an effective block against feeding of the next successive fastener. This block is effective against both the upper and lower portions of the next successive fastener so that no cocking or partial feeding can tak place untila previous fastener has been fully driven. Even if a fastener is driven below the top of bottom rail 'I I, the plunger I0 will be arrested in the lowermost position as defined by the ratchet teeth 92 and driving blade "II will occupy so much of the position vacated by the previous fastener as to wholly prevent even partial feeding of a successive fastener.

When pin 9! moves downwardly against the slanting surface of camming device IOI, it forces the lower portion I04 of the latter to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, and when pin 9'! reaches the slanting edge I I0 at the lower end of the opening 9| in control plate 90, it is cammed to the left thereby against the resistance of spring 93, the outer end of pin 91 riding against the lower surface portion I04 of camming device IOI. When pin 91 reaches the dot-and-dash line position indicated just below the camming nose I05 at the lower end of camming device IGI, Fig. 1, the lower portion I04 of camming device IOI can again spring back to the position illustrated in fulllines in Fig. 3.

This is a fully driven position of the device, and plunger I0 is now free to move upwardly without interference from ratchet teeth 92. This is accomplished by reason of the fact that, in subsequent upward movement from its lower dotand-dash line position, pin 97. rides along the left-hand portion of the lower camming nose 05 and, under the urge of spring 99, upwardly along th left-hand vertical edge of the portion I05 of camming device It! and along the lefthand side of flange I0t which, in effect, forms an upward continuation of such vertical edge portion.

Flange I95 retains the pin 81 in its withdrawn or left-hand position, as viewed in Fig. 1, until pin 9? has moved upwardly beyond the uppermost ratchet tooth 02, whereupon flange I03 terminates and pin BI is freed to move to its full line position of Fig. 1, ready to execute another full stroke cycle of operation.

Reference will now be had to the embodiment illustrated fragmentarily in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, wherein the fastener to be fed and driven is in the form of a staple, rather than a nail. The general construction of the device in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 is the same as that in the previous embodiment of Figs. 1 through 5, and only so much of the present embodiment will be described as will be necessary to understand the differences relating to supporting and feeding staples as distinguished from the nail-like fasteners of the previous embodiment.

In place of the assembly comprising channel I0 and bottom rail II, the embodiment of Figs. 6, 7, and 8 provides a central rail I20 which is straddled by a row of staples I2I and a plate member I22, which closes one side and a portion of the top of the staple magazine area, plate I22 being fixed to a lateral lower extension of rail I20. At its forward end rail I2I may be provided with a similar side closure plate I24 at the other side thereof to provide an inverted channel formation over such forward end so that a vertical tubular member I26 corresponding to the tubular member I3 of the previous embodiment may have its lower side wall portions in straddling relation with walls I22 and I24.

The only other difference between the embodiment now being described and that of Figs.

1 through 5 is the form of th pusher element for the staples which is designated generally I30 in Fig. 6. Pusher I30 is in the form of an inverted channel and straddles rail I20 in the same manner as the staples. Because of the single side plate I22, one side of pusher I30 is exposed as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and this side is provided with a manipulating flange I33 and a protuberance I34 which engages against the rear edge of plate I24 to serve as a forward stop for the pusher I30.

Fig. 9 shows an alternate form of nail type fastener having a, shank portion I40 and a head portion I4I, the head portion being of zig-zag form to avoid splitting the wood when the head extends along the grain of the wood and also to prevent the nail from being readily pulled through split wood.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fastener feeding and driving device having a longitudinal magazine portion and a fastener driving plunger mounted adjacent one end thereof for reciprocation transversely of the magazine portion to drive a fastener therefrom; non-return means operable to insure the ultimate completion of fastener driving strokes of the plunger which have advanced to a predetermined degree, said means comprising a relatively fixed member having a series of ratchet teeth extending parallel to the plunger path, a pawl carried by said plunger and engageable successively with the ratchet teeth during driving movement of the plunger to arrest the plunger against return movement in various driving positions, a relatively fixed trackway adapted to guide said pawl for return movement in a path withdrawn from said ratchet teeth, and cam means engaging said pawl below said ratchet teeth and adapted to deflect said pawl into said trackway for full stroke return movement withdrawn from the ratchet teeth.

2. In a fastener feeding and driving device having a longitudinal magazine portion and fastener driving plunger mounted adjacent one end thereof for reciprocation transversely of the magazine portion to drive a fastener therefrom; non-return means operable to insure the ultimate completion of fastener driving strokes of the plunger which have advanced to a predetermined degree, said means comprising a member having a series of interlocking formations extending parallel to the plunger path and a member carried by said plunger, one of said members being mounted for bodily movement in a direction at right angles to the path of the plunger and spring means acting against the bodily movable member to urge it toward the other member whereby said second member is engageable successively with the interlocking formations during driving movement of the plunger to arrest the plunger against return movement in various driving positions, a relatively fixed trackway adapted to guide said bodily movable member for return movement in a path withdrawn from said other member, and cam means below said interlocking formations and adapted to deflect said bodily movable member into said trackway for full stroke return movement withdrawn from the other member.

3. In a fastener feeding and driving device having a longitudinal magazine portion and a fastener driving plunger mounted adjacent one end thereof for reciprocation transversely of the magazine portion to drive a fastener therefrom; non-return means operable to insure the ultimate completion of fastener driving strokes of the plunger which have advanced to a predetermined degree, said means comprising a relatively fixed member having a series of interlocking formations extending parallel to the plunger path, a latch pin carried by said plunger and spring means acting against the latch pin to render it engageable successively with the interlocking formations during driving movement of the plunger to arrest the plunger against return movement in various driving positions, a relatively fixed trackway adapted to guide said latch pin for return movement in a path withdrawn from said interlocking formations, and cam means engaging said latch pin below said interlocking formations and adapted to deflect said latch pin into said trackway for full stroke return movement withdrawn from the interlocking formations.

4. In a fastener feeding and driving device having a longitudinal magazine portion and a fastener driving plunger mounted adjacent one end thereof for reciprocation transversely of the magazine portion to drive a fastener therefrom; non-return means operable to insure the ultimate completion of fastener driving strokes of the plunger which have advanced to a predetermined degree, said means comprising a relatively fixed member having a series of interlocking formations extending parallel to the plunger path, a detent carried by said plunger and engageable successively with the interlocking formations during driving movement of the plunger to arrest the plunger against return movement in various driving positions, means guiding said detent for return movement in a path withdrawn from said interlocking formations, and cam means adapted to deflect said detent into engagement with said guide means for return movement withdrawn from the interlocking formations.

5. In a fastener feeding and driving device having a longitudinal magazine portion and a fastener driving plunger mounted adjacent one end thereof for reciprocation transversely of the magazine portion to drive a fastener therefrom; non-return means operable to insure the ultimate completion of fastener driving strokes of the plunger which have advanced to a predetermined degree, said means comprising a relatively fixed member having a series of interlocking formations extending parallel to the plunger path, a latch pin member carried by said plunger, one of said members being mounted for bodily movement in a direction toward and away from the other and spring means acting against the bodily movable member to urge it toward the other member to successively engage the latch pin with'the interlocking formations during driving movement of the plunger to arrest the plunger against return movement in various driving positions, a relatively fixed trackway adapted to guide said bodily movable member for return movement in a path withdrawn from said other member, and cam means engaging said bodily movable member below said interlocking formations and adapted to deflect the same to said trackway for return movement withdrawn from the other memher.

6. In a fastener feeding and driving device having a longitudinal magazine portion and a fastener driving plunger mounted adjacent one end thereof for reciprocation transversely of the magazine portion to drive a fastener therefrom; nonreturn means operable to insure the ultimate completion of fastener driving strokes of the plunger which have advanced to a predetermined degree, said means comprising a relatively fixed member having a series of interlocking formations extending parallel to the plunger path, a detent carried by said plunger and spring means urging the same into successive engagement with the interlocking formations during driving move ment of the plunger to arrest the plunge against return movement in various driving positions, a relatively fixed trackway adapted to guide said detent for return movement in a path withdrawn from said interlocking formations, and cam means engaging said detent below interlocking formations and adapted to deflect said detent to said trackway for return movement withdrawn from the interlocking formations.

7. In a fastener feeding and driving device having a longitudinal magazine portion and a fastener driving plunger mounted adjacent one end thereof for reciprocation transversely of the n ag azine portion to drive a fastener therefrom; nonreturn means operable to insure the ultimate completion of fastener driving strokes of the plunger which have advanced to a predetermined degree, said means comprising a relatively fixed member having a series of interlocking formations, a detent movable with said plunger and spring means urging the same into successive engagement with the interlocking formations during driving movement of the plunger to arrest the plunger against return movement in various driving positions, and means guiding said detent for return movement in a path withdrawn from said interlocking formations, and cam means engaging said detent below said interlocking formations and adapted to deflect said detent to said guiding means for return movement with drawn from the interlocking formations.

HENRY A. GRANFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,140,588 Krantz Dec. 20, 1938 2,218,794 Kilbride ct. 22, 1940 2,380,785 Percoco July 31, 1945 

